Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) awarded the Regents of the University of Minnesota a Project Grant of $649,046 under the Oral Diseases and Disorders Research program (CFDA 93.121) for a research initiative spanning June 1, 2026 through February 28, 2031. The University of Minnesota will conduct fundamental research investigating the molecular mechanisms by which Streptococcus gordonii, a pioneer bacterial colonizer in dental plaque biofilms, recognizes and responds to host factors and other early plaque colonizers such as Actinomyces naeslundii. The research focuses on characterizing an outside-in signaling circuit comprising specific adhesin proteins (SspA and SspB), lipoteichoic acid, and a two-component regulatory system that enables transcriptional discrimination between different environmental stimuli.

The deliverables from this project will advance fundamental knowledge of oral biofilm community assembly and structure by elucidating how pioneer bacteria shape initial plaque development through adhesin-mediated interactions. Specific research objectives include examining the transcriptional response mechanisms during bacterial coaggregation, establishing the structural basis of interactions between bacterial adhesins and polysaccharides, and characterizing how signaling pathways influence synthetic oral bacterial community assembly. These research findings are intended to support NIDCR's mission to translate basic discoveries into prevention and treatment strategies for dental and oral health diseases.